Letter of Intent - Discontinuation of Javon Bea Hospital - Rockton Campus

LETTER OF INTENT - DISCONTINUATION OF JAVON BEA HOSPITAL - ROCKTON CAMPUS

The purpose of this letter is to provide notice that, pursuant to 20 ILCS 3960/8.7, the Javon Bea Hospital ("JBH") intends to file a Certificate of Need application with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board to discontinue its Rockton Avenue hospital building (2400 Rockton Avenue, Rockford, Illinois). This includes the closure of the four licensed ICU beds and the long-term care beds currently located on that campus. Our commitment to the West Side remains strong, with approximately 600 employees and physicians providing outpatient clinic services in our Mercyhealth Clinic building and EMS Services building, which sit on high ground and are not at risk of flooding.

As you know, JBH is a single licensed hospital operating across two campuses: Rockton Avenue and Riverside Boulevard. The proposed filing applies only to the Rockton A venue location. The campus has faced chronic flooding that has decimated operations in the past, including $30 million in damage to the lower level, necessitating the relocation of critical services such as the cancer center and our system's data processing infrastructure. Such flooding poses an unacceptable risk to patient care, as microbes and other bacteria can enter the HVAC system. This continued environmental risk at the site makes it unsafe and unsustainable to provide inpatient care or to maintain patients in bed-confined settings at this location.

In recent years, the Rockton Avenue hospital building has operated only a standby emergency department, staffed with an on-site nurse and an off-site on-call physician per state statute, and has utilized its long-term care unit during the COVID-19 pandemic to support surging patient volumes. However, utilization at the hospital building has steadily declined in recent years. Ambulances are no longer bringing patients to the facility, and the beds are no longer being utilized. In contrast, the JBH Riverside campus remains fully operational and
continues to provide a robust range of inpatient, outpatient, primary, secondary, and tertiary services for the Rockford region

.We are actively working with local and State leaders, including the Mayor's office, to repurpose the Rockton Avenue hospital building for community benefit. JBH intends to donate the current hospital building for nonprofit usage. Surplus medical equipment is also being donated to local educational and training institutions, including Rockford University and Hoo Haven, to support workforce development. Additional equipment will be redeployed throughout the Mercyhealth system to enhance patient care in our regional ambulatory and inpatient facilities.
Mercyhealth remains deeply committed to the Rockford community and the surrounding area. We look forward to continuing to provide high-quality, accessible healthcare services to those we serve.

Sincerely,

Javon R. Bea
President & CEO